Rome was not built in a day. The Indian cricketing legacy has witnessed the fall and rise of captains, leading them through decades, each bringing with them renewed vigour, temperament and approach.

As Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the men’s Test team on Saturday, the curtains fell on an era marked by shifting dynamics in a post-Dhoni era. It is always tricky and often intimidating to step into the shoes of a World Cup-winning skipper, and when Virat was handed over the reins, what we had was perhaps one of the most technically gifted, passionate and aggressive masters of the willow with a head full of dreams.

Virat was India’s most successful Test captain and fourth most successful Test captain of all time, with 40 wins in 68 matches after seven years. History will remember Virat as one who knew the drill better than anyone — a meteoric rise traced through some glorious years of Indian cricket. t2 looks back at some such memorable highlights with Virat leading from the front.

The killer instinct

2014 Century Tripling
With MS Dhoni unavailable for the first match owing to injury for India’s tour of Australia, Virat led the Indian team for the first time in 2014. With scores of 115 and 141 in the first match and 147 in the Test following Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket, Virat became the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to score three centuries in the first three innings as captain, marking the beginning of a glorious stint. When asked, Virat had said he believed in the team to be the No.1 Test team in the world for the next five years and as promised, Kohli led India as the No.1 ranked Test team in the world from 2016 till 2020.

The skipper

2018 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Under Virat, India achieved an incredible feat of winning a Test series in Australia for the first time in the history of the rivalry, as they cruised to a 2-1 historic series win. India also became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia. Virat equalled Sourav Ganguly’s record of most overseas win as Test captain during the tour. One of the most emphatic performances ever, the series stood significant for Virat’s boys at the peak of their dominance, cementing their place as the No.1 Test team in the World.

T20 World Cup knock vs Australia
Recognised as the ‘greatest moment in T20 World Cup history’, skipper Virat’s unbeaten knock of 82 off 51 balls against Australia saw them seal a berth in the semi-finals of the competition. Chasing 161, Virat walked on to the crease with a stagnated Indian side at 94-4 with six overs left and what followed was an inexplicable onslaught with Kohli and Dhoni on the pitch leaving Aussie captain Steve Smith dumbstruck.

An innings defined by near-perfect shots and an outstanding display of technical supremacy, Kohli’s innings remains memorable. Although India were defeated by West Indies in the semi-final, Virat was named Man of the Tournament for his display and an unbelievable average.

First WTC Final
Virat led the Indian team to the final of the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship with gritty displays through the stretch of 2019-2021. His team defeated South Africa, England and Australia and India qualified for the finals of the WTC, which included the country’s historic win against Australia at Gabba. India topped the league table with a win ratio of 1.577, having played six series and won five of them.

English humiliation on Indian soil
England toured India with an itinerary of four Test matches, three ODIs and five T20 Internationals. Under Virat, India scored a clean sweep defeating the English side in all of the three formats. The Test series victory saw India progress onto the final of the World Test Championship with Virat named as the player of the T20 series. Perhaps the most dominant performance at home over the last few years, Virat injected spirit into the side with a renewed brand of aggressive yet tempered displays. Winning 24 Tests at home, Virat holds the record as the Indian captain with maximum wins at home, and also stood undefeated in his 11 series at home.

India’s first pink ball Test
In November 2019, history was created as Virat captained the Indian side in its first ever pink-ball Test against Bangladesh, at Eden Gardens. Kohli became the first Indian batsman to score a day-night ton as he guided the team to a massive win by an innings and 46 runs, with his significant knock of 136 runs.

2017 Champion’s Trophy
Virat’s first ICC tournament as captain came in the from of the ICC Champion’s Trophy. Virat led the side with conviction as the team dropped laudable performances, cruising to the final. Although defeated by Pakistan in the final, the team showed incredible promise and Virat’s undeterred passion promised a bright era ahead for Indian cricket. With his score of 96 against Bangladesh in the semi-final, he became the fastest batsman to reach 8,000 runs in ODI, and was also named a part of the Team of the Tournament.

In different moods